United Methodist bishops, social justice leaders and a racial-ethnic caucus have spoken out against the April 29 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gutted the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
In a release titled “UMC Bishops Express Deep Concern Over Supreme Court Voting Rights Decision,” the Council of Bishops said its members are “acutely aware of, and deeply concerned about” the Supreme Court’s decision to deny the protection of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which ensured voting access to Blacks and other people of color.
“We stand in prayerful solidarity with the statements and leadership offered by the General Board of Church and Society and by Bishop Jonathan Holston. This decision carries grave implications for the protection of voting rights and the full political voice of Black, brown, and indigenous communities across parts of the United States,” read the release signed by the council’s new president, Bishop Ruben Saenz Jr. of Horizon Texas Conference.
In a joint statement issued May 1, the General Board of Church and Society and the General Commission on Religion and Race also condemned the high court’s ruling.
Bishop Jonathon Holston
“The Supreme Court’s recent 6-3 ruling sends an alarming and dangerous message throughout the United States that longstanding patterns of discrimination may be insulated from meaningful accountability. It invites a political world where map-drawing and election rules become tools of domination rather than instruments of shared governance,” the agencies said in their statement.
The Council of Bishops also endorsed a statement titled “Civic Engagement and Voting” from Bishop L. Jonathan Holston of the North Alabama Conference.
“The right to vote is not merely a political issue; it is a moral issue.”
“The right to vote is not merely a political issue; it is a moral issue,” Holston wrote. “Voting is one of the most fundamental ways people participate in shaping the common good. Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly calls leaders and communities to protect the vulnerable, hear the cries of the oppressed, and ensure fairness in the public square. Proverbs 31:8 reminds us: ‘Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute.’
“As Christians, we cannot be indifferent when any group of people believes their voice is being diminished or their participation weakened,” Holston continued. “The church has a holy responsibility to stand alongside those whose rights and dignity are threatened. Silence in the face of injustice has never been the calling of the body of Christ.”
In addition, the Native American Inter-Tribal Caucus of the UMC issued a statement titled “Our Voices Are Sovereign — And Every Voice Matters.” A companion document, “We Are Watching This Happen Again,” listed the history of past efforts by the U.S. government to disenfranchise Native Americans as well as other people of color.
“In many of our tribal teachings, we are taught that decisions made today must honor those who walked before us and protect those yet to come,” said the NAIC statement. “We are taught that every voice carries responsibility, and that no nation can remain in balance when some voices are intentionally diminished while others are elevated.
“Democracy, like ceremony, requires participation, respect, truth, and accountability. Voting rights are not theoretical. They were secured through the courage of people who faced violence, exclusion, imprisonment and death so future generations could be heard.”
The Council of Bishops’ May 19 statement included a call to action for pastors, congregations and church leaders.
- Read the Church and Society article: “US Supreme Court Denies Rights of Section Two of Voting Rights Act”
- Read the message from Bishop Holston: “Civic Engagement and Voting”
- Pray for all whose votes and voices are at risk of being diminished
- Discern how you and your congregation can raise awareness, stand with affected communities, and advocate for just and fair access to the ballot
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